All posts tagged ‘Red Sox’

I recently had a conversation with a man who scoffed at gaming and fantasy.

The guy was a sports fan. So was I. But we didn’t see eye to eye.

“That isn’t reality,” he said of my years reading J.R.R. Tolkien, playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, and my other interests in so-called “escapist” hobbies.

Fantasy and gaming are pointless, he said. Useless. What’s the point in playing them? Waste of time.

But he’s wrong.

[Ed. Note: See below for info on two upcoming public events with GeekDad blogger Ethan Gilsdorf]

As I’ve written in a recent article for Salon.com (“How Dungeons & Dragons Changed My Life”), my days playing (and still playing) D&D and other games, or my obsession with Lord of the Rings, are no more or less “real” or “unreal” than anything else I’m engaged in. My days of game-playing adventure and storytelling were crucial, formative experiences that were as real and memorable as any heroic feats on the baseball diamond or football field (from which, as a geek, I was excluded, of course).

In a fantasy role-playing game, you conquer orcs, grow in power and save the day. How is that any different from beating the Yankees or the Red Sox and winning the divisional championship?

Once an event has passed into memory, it’s the feeling of accomplishment, reward, mutual achievement, and victory that lingers. Why or how I feel these feelings is irrelevant. The triggering event no longer matters. What remains is how that memory resonates.

Whether playing a game on the field of battle or a tabletop map — be it football, soccer, D&D, World of Warcraft, or even beating your foe with a foam rubber sword as part of a live-action role-playing game — it’s the lessons that stay with us. How to strategize. Think on your feet. Swing a sword like Aragorn. Solve a problem. Use your imagination. Work together like the Fellowship on their quest to destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom. Find fellowship. Be part of something bigger than yourself.

So, please, Mr. Reality Man, don’t tell me reading a good fantasy novel is any less inspiring and any less fulfilling that watching baseball on TV. Or that role-playing ought to be less heroic than cheering your team on to victory. (Don’t even get me started on the fact that American sports culture really is institutionalized role-playing and war games on a massive scale.)

I love the Red Sox as much as the next guy. But if anything, I feel more prepared to meet the challenges of today because I can play out all the possible scenarios and can identify with others, be they friend or foe.

Even if my mortal enemy wears pin-striped uniforms.

Ethan Gilsdorf has two events this week in the Midwest where he’ll discuss his book Fantasy Freaks & Gaming Geeks: An Epic Quest for Reality Among Role Players, Online Gamers, and Other Dwellers of Imaginary Realms:

It’s a rite of passage. A dad bringing his son to a baseball game. Even a geek has to appreciate the glow and excitement of a little boy heading to a baseball game.

GeekDads may not be able to hit a pitch in the strike zone. We may be terrified of missing that fly ball hit toward us in right field. But our kids may have lightning in their arms and grow up to be ball players.

Living in Boston, baseball means the Red Sox and Fenway Park. Love the Red Sox or hate the Red Sox, it’s hard to hate Fenway Park. The stadium is the oldest in major league baseball, offering a nostalgic experience. The Green Monster looms over left field, where three Hall of Famers spent their playing time.

Getting There

Since Fenway Park is in the city, that means we got to take a trolley ride. The Green Line of the MBTA runs near our house and goes right to Fenway Park. The trolley ride was a great start to the day. Little boys love trains. He was chatting to everyone who looked at him about how he was going to see the Red Sox. Since it was an hour before game time on a Sunday afternoon, nearly everyone on the jam-packed train was also going to the game. Nearly all appreciated his excitement.

It was beautiful summer day. Fenway Park was sold out, as it has been for 500+ consecutive games. That meant we would have to deal with 36,000 other fans streaming into the game. I was a bit concerned that the crowd would be overwhelming for my five year old. It ended up not bothering him at all. I wore my bright red and orange running shoes so they stood out when he looked down. It was harder for him to look up with an over-sized baseball hat on his head than to look down and see those shoes.

A visit to Fenway Park can be a budget buster. Tickets are expensive. Food is expensive. Drinks are expensive. A friend gave us the Red Sox tickets, so the day was much more affordable. (Thanks Jeanie!) I made up for that by loading up on popcorn, hot dogs, candy and drinks at the concession stand before we went to our seats.

The Game

Walking up the ramp, we were staring at the left field wall and the vibrant green grass of the field. John Smoltz was warming up on the mound. My son was excited to see Jason Bay because one of his classmates said he was “awesome.”

We squeezed into our snug seats next the Red Sox dugout. The seats are a great size for a five year old. Less well-sized for adults. Even less well-sized for an adult with a five year old occasionally sitting in his lap.

After the first inning, my son became more focused on the popcorn than the action of the game. I was as interested in watching him as I was interested in watching the game. The food vendors roaming the seats caught his attention as much as a base hit. Ice cream was on the top of his list and he became a big fan of the Green Monster Mint ice cream sundae.

I did get him to stay for most of the game. I told him that something special happens late in the game. It’s a current Fenway Park tradition to sing Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline in the middle of the eighth inning. That’s one my son’s favorite songs. He was very excited to have 36,000 other people singing along.

What It’s All About

What was his favorite part of the day? Eating gummy fish.

That’s okay. The day was about a father and son spending a few hours together and trying new things. He got see some baseball players in real life, but wasn’t very impressed. He liked the sights and sounds of the ball park. I don’t think he appreciated the game. He may never appreciate the game. But he did appreciate spending the afternoon alone with dad. And 36,000 other Red Sox fans.

Don’t let the picture of fool you. He had a great time. That photo opportunity was preventing him from eating his popcorn and watching the game.

Fenway Alternatives

Want to experience Fenway Park without the game? Try taking a guided tour. They run a tour every hour until 3 hours prior to game time. The tour includes a 50 minute walking tour of the ballpark, guided by an official Fenway Park Tour Guide.

For a less expensive and just as fun baseball experience, try minor league baseball. I brought my son to the Lowell Spinners, the Single-A farm team of the Red Sox, when he was two. Their stadium is just an hour north of Boston. An hour south of Boston is McCoy Stadium, home of the Pawtucket Red Sox, the Triple-A farm team for the Red Sox. Both offer great baseball games for a less expensive price, in a more kid-friendly environment. It’s great training for getting the kids ready for a major league game.